Soon the academic year 2017-18 draws its curtain. The students who got busied themselves with various activities during the year get glued to books now and make up their mind to sit down in silence to prepare for their final exams. They who were into diverse fields are complled to withdraw to quiet for a concentrated study with a focus to reap a good harvest. May God bless them and grant them what they desire.

The period of final exams of children is crucial for their parents too. They who had accompanied them during the year will not miss this opportunity to keep pace with them to achieve the best and the finest. At times their stress is more than that of their wards. The same is true of teachers too. On one side they are anxious of the performance of their students and on the other, the feedback of their parents.

Well, all students do not perform the same way. They differ in their output. Some perform extraordinarily well and others do not measure up to the expectations of their parents and teachers. If the good performance brings satisfaction, the poor performance, frustrations. The criterion for satisfaction or frustrations is the academic performance of the student. Unfortunately this is one of the lacunae in our educational system today. What is focussed in the present system is the assessment of the academic performance of the student. Based on this yardstick the student is promoted to the next class. What is assessed is the cognitive part which centres on one’s capacity to memorise and reproduce rather than think innovatively and respond creatively. In this pursuit, person per se is overlooked; the dimension of heart and hands are also completely ignored.

True education is holistic. It is inclusive of the inner and the outer, the visible and the invisible, the core and the periphery of the person. It takes into account everything that can shape the personality of a person. It includes formation of the person in terms of values, attitudes, principles, convictions, belief systems etc. In other words, forming the character of a student has to become the edifice of education. If so, then all dimensions – head, heart and hands – and their coordination need to be assessed while finding the suitability of the student for a higher class. If such an evaluation is done every year, then we are able to produce scholars blending with character and calibre who will not only make a significant contribution to the society but also will be a boon to it.    

Educating is not easy. It is a herculean task. At this juncture, I must salute all the heads of the institutions and teachers under BES who have given their best to their students during the year without counting the cost. They have braved the storms facing all ordeals from the education department and others. Kudos to you teachers! You deserve a good break and relaxation. Relax and rejuvenate!

Sr Mariette BS
Secretary
BES, Mangalore